Anymore
by yellowstar
Summary: Based on the episodes with the psycho rangers. When confronted with losing Ashley how will Andros react? Will fear get the best of him or will he finally realize his feelings for her?
1. Default Chapter

Anymore

I wrote this fic as part of the psycho rangers timeline, it was such a good episode but I thought it needed some more drama. Some of the dialogue is directly from their episodes, which I don't own. I did omit some parts in the interest of keeping it interesting and focused.

"No, Ashley! NO!" Cassie's screams echoed through the courtyard as the yellow ranger disappeared into the pavement. Cassie pounded her fists in anger as she watched her best friend slip out of reach. "I'll find you." She promised desperately, oblivious to the battle raging around her or the fact that the three male rangers stood in front of her protectively.

"Ashley, I'm so sorry." The pink ranger admitted as flashbacks of the last few days and the fights raced through her head. All those horrible things I said to you. And now you're gone. It's all my fault." She confessed miserably.

"Let's get out of here." TJ decided solemnly, taking over leadership for the distraught Andros. "What about Ashley?" Cassie demanded, angry at her teammate's lack of concern for their friend.

"We can't help Ashley here." TJ explained to her as he pulled her to her feet. "Deca, four to teleport." The blue ranger announced over his communicator. Suddenly the four disappeared in their respective streams of colored lights.

Andros was in shock. 'How could this happen?' he wondered in dismay. 'Ashley's gone.' His heart struggled to deal with the realization that his mind had already accepted. Though he had seen her disappear with his own eyes, he refused to believe that she was gone forever. No matter what it took, he would get her back.

"We'll get her back." A voice said from behind him, as a hand appeared on his shoulder to comfort him. Andros was surprised to see Carlos standing there. He was very protective of Ashley, and he often wondered if Carlos resented the fact that he and Ashley were dating. Carlos reassured him that he wasn't upset with him; he just wanted Ashley to be happy.

"_Why does Ashley want to be with me?" The red ranger said aloud in frustration. Ashley was so beautiful and cheerful, and he was quite the opposite He was venting after sending her away again. She hadn't complained when he said he needed some space, but he could see the confusion and the hurt on her face when it became evident that he didn't trust her completely yet. He hadn't realized that Carlos had entered the room._

"You make her happy." Carlos confided to him one day a few weeks ago. "She trusts you Andros." The black ranger said to him as the two had a rare moment away from the rest of the team, including Ashley.

"Yeah." Andros agreed, taking on some of Ashley's optimism to keep him going despite the horrific circumstances. With a final thought for Ashley, he quickly turned his mind to finding a way to get her back.

Ashley landed with a hard thud on the cold floor of the cell. "Time to finish the brain drain." The yellow psycho ranger taunted her as she approached the helpless yellow ranger.

"Not if I can help it." Ashley shouted in determination as she put up her locked hands to defend herself. "With those cuffs on, you're no match for me." The psycho ranger replied smugly as she increased her effort.

'She's right.' Ashley thought sadly, desperately looking for a way out. Fortunately, the arrival of the pissed off psycho pink interrupted psycho yellow's plan. As the two psychos battled each other, Ashley seized her opportunity to escape as she threw herself out the window, trusting her instincts to protect her as she hurtled towards the ground.

"I've got to find a way out of here." Ashley urged herself as she ran through the labyrinth of the warehouse district. She was getting out of breath, and she wasn't sure she had the energy to do battle with the psychos again. Despite the protection of her suit, she knew she was pushing the limits of what it could do. If she didn't get away soon, she knew she was in real trouble.

She ducked into an abandoned warehouse, hoping to catch her breath. "I know you're in here somewhere." Psycho yellow called out from her vantage point on the catwalk. Ashley held her breath as psycho yellow appeared before her. 'Got to be a way out.' Ashley thought frantically.

"Quit your running. It'll all be over soon." Psycho yellow challenged as she stepped closer to Ashley. Before she got close enough to finish draining her powers, the pink psycho ranger returned to continue their battle.

The intrusion gave Ashley a quick moment to make a plan. Glancing about, she hurdled over the cans of dangerous materials. "Listen up, you psychos! I'll never give in to you. NEVER!" She shouted as she hid, taking the risk that she could survive the inevitable explosion. Even if she didn't, it was better than the alternative of being defeated by the psycho rangers. She didn't have time to consider the consequences of her actions. Despite her feelings for Andros and her friends, she was first most a ranger and her obligation was to that duty. She was trained not to give in, no matter what. And she wouldn't now, despite how her heart was begging her to.

They reacted predictably, shooting at the barrels causing a large explosion to severely damage the warehouse and invariably the yellow ranger, much to the psychos delight. It hadn't' been their intention, but it was a very effective Plan B.

"Goodbye yellow ranger." Psycho yellow cheered as she watched her arch enemy go up in smoke.

"Andros!" was the last word out of Ashley's mouth as the flames forced her back into the wall as the smoke overwhelmed her. Dazed and desperate, she forced herself to her feet and out the door before there was more damage.

She forced the fresh air into her lungs, hoping to maintain enough strength to finally get away. "I've got to get rid of these cuffs." She muttered as she continued to flee from the burning warehouse. "Why can't they find me?" Ashley complained as she slowly losing optimism about winning this fight.

"Why can't we find her?" Andros fumed as he anxiously paced the bridge. It had been hours since she had disappeared and they were still no closer to finding her. If they didn't, well he couldn't dwell on what would happen if he didn't have Ashley. IT was not a pleasant thought, and he couldn't afford to be distracted when she needed him.

The other rangers allowed his anger, knowing that he was worried about their yellow ranger.

"I can't find her power signature anywhere." TJ declared grimly, trying not to fear the worst.

"If we can't find Ashley, let's find the psycho rangers." Cassie decided logically. "Great plan Cass." TJ offered as he commanded Deca to search for their newest enemies.

"Downtown." Deca replied suddenly. "By the old library." The computer concluded after the scan was completed. Cassie took off running for the gliding tubes, a feeling deep in her gut that Ashley needed her help urgently with the male rangers not too far behind.

She was so preoccupied with survival, she didn't anticipate another attack as the pink psycho ranger crept up on Ashley and launched her into the air landing in the vacant field by the old library.

"This is so getting old." She mumbled as she struggled to defend herself from the psycho ranger when the pink psycho fell to the ground.

"Ashley! Grab on!" Cassie shouted as she flew down and picked up the yellow ranger on her galaxy glider. Landing a few feet away, Cassie embraced her best friend.

"Are you okay?" She asked in concern. "Yeah, thanks to you." Ashley acknowledged gratefully. "I was so worried." The pink ranger affirmed affectionately.

"Let's destroy that psycho!" Ashley declared vehemently. "Right on." Cassie agreed as the two female rangers charged towards their enemy. Dodging the shots she fired, Ashley and Cassie destroyed her with a combination of their weapons and talents.

"Well done girls." TJ praised the pair for destroying the pink psycho ranger. Carlos and Zhane joined in the celebration. Andros scanned the scene for any other evidence of psychos. Ashley didn't notice the activity around her as she became dizzy and the world spun around her, as the events of the day caught up with her. She was relieved when Andros finally declared it was time to go back to the mega ship.

Not a moment after they returned to the mega ship, Ashley's suit began to glow as she reached for the nearest console for support.

"Ash?" Cassie called out to her best friend worried. The yellow suit began to flash which started to worry the other rangers.

"Deca?" Andros inquired, concerned for Ashley's well being. The two hadn't been dating for a long time, but long enough for Andros to realize how much he cared for the yellow ranger.

"Her power levels are below minimal." Deca declared urgently as her vital signs flashed across the scene in warning.

"Which explains why we couldn't trace it." Carlos observed quietly, wishing there was something he could do for her.

"She needs to power down." Deca directed the red ranger who immediately obeyed. As her yellow suit disappeared, so did the last of her energy as she collapsed into Andros's arms.

"Oh my god." The shocking comment came out of the silver ranger's mouth without thinking. He couldn't believe her appearance.

Her gray flight suit did little to hide the bruises and burns on her face and arms. They all wondered what had happened when the psycho rangers captured her. Andros hurriedly teleported to the medical bay where TJ connected the yellow ranger to the regenerator as Andros ran the bone scanner over her still form. Andros held his breath as he waited for the results.

Cassie took in the whole scene from the doorway. Guilt ridden by the sight of her best friend lying there motionless. "It's not your fault Cass." Zhane reminded her softly as the others rushed about attending to Ashley's needs.

"I know." She conceded with a sigh. "It just shouldn't have happened. We have to destroy those psychos." She uttered angrily.

"And we will." Zhane promised her. It was a promise he had to make not just for Cassie but the team as well. "She's going to be fine." He reminded her as he went to Andros's side to comfort his best friend.

Cassie couldn't bear to get any closer to her best friend; the sight of her lying so helpless scared her beyond belief. "I hope so." She muttered with little optimism. 'How could one recover from such intense injuries?' she questioned sadly.

Carlos and TJ met the two on their way out and ushered them into the holding bay. "How is she?" Cassie questioned TJ intently, wanting the truth.

"She just needs to rest. When her body's ready she'll wake up." TJ informed her gently. "Her injuries are not severe in and of themselves, but put together they were enough to do some damage."

"I wonder what happened?" Carlos wondered aloud. The other rangers were wondering the same thing as they walked silently to the synthetron.

Andros stood guard over her, just staring at the girl who had invaded his life. Realizing it could be a long wait her settled into the chair next to the bed and grabbed her hand. IT was strange to see Ashley like this. So quiet and still. She was always so vivacious and energetic, she made him feel alive and now here she was fighting to keep her life. No matter how TJ reassured him that she would be fine, it was the first time Andros understood that he could lose her. It was the first time he understood that he loved her. Those hours she had been missing this afternoon it had taken all his will power to concentrate on the rescue effort and not just foolishly chase after her as his heart desperately wanted to.

"I don't know what happened today or how you got through it…" he began as he gently stroked the burns on her face.

"Actually I do know." He amended thoughtfully. "You are so brave Ash. You never step down from a fight. Your concern is always for everyone else. You are the most selfless person I know.

"And it makes me see how selfish I am. See I've known for a long time now that I love you. And yet I haven't told you. And despite it all you still want to be with me. I was so afraid of being hurt that I couldn't tell you I love you. Because even if it hurts, I know now it hurts a thousand, a million times worse to lose you. I love you Ashley and I can't pretend that I don't anymore." He finished quietly as he slumped into the chair and waited for her to wake up.


	2. In Between

Anymore Part 2 – In Between

**_A bright light interrupted her sleep. 'Go away.' She mumbled annoyed at whoever had turned on the light in her room. But the light wasn't going away so she opened her eyes but she couldn't see anything. Before she could panic she heard a familiar voice._**

"You're going to be okay." He promised her, wishing he could make it come true. He would give anything in his power to bring her back, but he didn't know how.

_**Andros?' she murmured softly hearing his voice**. _

He lifted his head in hope, but her eyes were still closed, her body still motionless.

Sighing, he pleaded with her "Come back Ash." She was aware of his hand gently covering her own, but when she moved to squeeze it in return, it refused to obey.

'_**I'm still alive' she realized gladly, though she didn't know why or how she had come to this place. It was quiet, devoid of all distraction. She was alone**. **'Where am I?' she considered in confusion. 'What happened?' her mind demanded to know. 'Why can't he hear me?' she cried out when her questions went unanswered.**_

Andros didn't know why but he felt compelled to tell her what happened. He hadn't discussed the incident with anyone. "You were captured by the psycho rangers." He explained slowly. "That never should have happened. Suddenly you were gone and I couldn't save you." He admitted, finally breaking down as his emotions came pouring forth.

_**'It's not your fault.' She tried to reassure him. She knew he still carried a lot of guilt over what had happened with Karone and Zhane. She refused to let him take the blame for her. 'I should have been more careful.' She muttered in regret.**_

Peace flooded his soul as the words reminded him of what Ashley would say to him if she were awake. "I know." He replied to her soothing voice. He opened his eyes suspiciously. The fragile peace was shattered when he remembered she wasn't awake.

For a moment it was like she was there with him. "I must be losing my mind." He said in disgust, realizing he was talking to himself. "I miss you." He recognized in surprise. He wasn't surprised that he missed her, just at how much he did. So much in fact, he couldn't bear to walk the mega ship anywhere and not notice her absence. He had taken her presence for granted and not that it was gone, albeit temporarily, he ached for it.

**_"I miss you too." she wanted to shout; needed him to hear her. She hated that he was so far away. Since they had watched Haley's comet, the two hadn't been more than two doors apart or spent more than a few hours apart. Now it felt like they were two galaxies apart. And there was nothing she could do about it as she felt herself losing the battle to sleep._**

Though it had only a few nights ago that he had said the words I love you to Ashley, he had known it to be true for quite some time. He had wanted to tell her on her birthday, but then Astronema had kidnapped her and he had run out of time before Zhane had awoken. It seemed like there had always been something to keep him from admitting his feelings for her. "No more." He promised himself determinedly. He would not let another thing prevent him from telling Ashley how he felt about her.

Hour after hour, day after day Andros sat by her side willing Ashley to come back to him. For three days she remained unresponsive, but he wouldn't give up hope. If he gave up hope he would have to give into a life without her. He was not able to live with that reality. Living without Ashley was not an option. He would just have to wait. And when she did come back to him, as he truly believed she would, he would not withhold his feelings any more. Pretending and denying that he loved her was slowly killing him, he decided. Andros turned his thoughts back to Ashley; to praying she would return soon.

**_Though it was weak, she could feel his presence near by. "He cares for me." She realized and tried to wake up but she was so tired. 'Hold on.' She murmured, trying to encourage the discouraged boy by her side as she slid back into a deep sleep, powerless to help him._**

"How are you holding up?" TJ asked bringing the red ranger his dinner. Not that he expected Andros to eat it, he had barely eaten in three days; but TJ had to try.

"I'm not." Came the unexpected reply. TJ hadn't really expected Andros to answer; he hadn't spoken much since Ashley had been in the medical bay. He pulled up a chair and sat next to Andros and observed the girl who lay so still and unaware of everything going on around her.

"How's Cassie?" Andros wondered, his concern for Ashley's best friend and his teammate proving how much he had changed in the last few months. Even the last few days. Despite his own grief, he could still reach out to others.

"I managed to talk her into a sedative. She needs some rest." TJ replied calmly. As the former leader of the turbo rangers he knew the pressure being a leader could be. At the beginning he didn't know if Andros could be the leader they needed. But since then, he had slowly proved to the rest of them that he could be.

"It's not her fault." Andros commented aloud. "She knows that, but she won't believe it until Ashley gets better." TJ responded softly.

"I hope it's soon." The Kerovian muttered, dark shadows around his eyes evidence of the long days he had spent by the yellow ranger's side. Alpha had said she would wake up when she was ready, but he was afraid that she would never be ready. What if her injuries were too much to overcome? Her beautiful face was marred with bruises hidden by the unexplainable burns. Bandages covered up her arms while tubes and wires ran from them, connecting her to the life sustaining machines.

"It's too quiet around here." The blue ranger remarked, ignoring the hum of machines echoing in the background. Gone were the sounds of the girls squealing, of Ashley practicing her cheers or fighting with Carlos.

"I know I always joked to tell her to be quiet, but I never meant it. It's hard to get used to the quiet." He continued on as he stared into nowhere. TJ realized that there was much more to Ashley than what most people thought, sometimes even the other teammates. Despite her constant cheerful demeanor, TJ thought Ashley was one of the most thoughtful, compassionate people he knew.

"I'll never get used to this quiet." Carlos admitted entering the room and getting comfortable on the couch in the corner; joining in on sharing memories of past times. "Remember the time…" Carlos began as the three fell into easy conversation.

Cassie struggled against the drowsiness of the sedative TJ had given her. No matter how tired she was she couldn't get the image of Ashley fading away out of her memory. Sure she had saved her, but had it been too late? Ashley was now lying in the medical bay fighting for her life. If only she had gotten to her sooner… Tears streamed down her face as her eyes finally closed in exhaustion.

"**_Then we both may have gone down…"_** a soft voice wafted into Cassie's subconscious as familiar brown eyes and curly brown hair came into focus.

"Ashley?" She whispered in disbelief straining to find the yellow ranger through the foggy sleepiness that was trying to overcome her.

"**_Don't give up on me yet Cass…"_** was her only answer as the image of her best friend faded. Her words of encouragement prodded Cassie from her light sleep and coerced her out of bed.

"It doesn't seem real." Andros suddenly acknowledged. "I mean we all know the risk we're taking everyday, but you never expect it to happen." He spoke up in disbelief.

"No, but it does." Another voice added, increasing the group to four. "And yet you still go out there the next day knowing those risks; just hoping that today isn't the day you don't return from battle." Zhane commented wisely.

"How do you do it? How can you not give in?" Carlos wondered remarkably, curious as to how Zhane had continued on fighting even after his two years imprisoned in sleep.

"You just keep fighting." Came Zhane's passionate reply. "If you don't fight for something, why live?" He queried poetically.

"Ashley's not a quitter." A voice announced through the doorway. "Cassie." TJ said her name in shock. "You should be in bed." He rebuked her gently.

"No." She insisted not so gently. "I'm exactly where I should be. Supporting my best friend instead of hiding away guiltily in my room." She declared dropping next to Carlos. The black ranger reached over to pull her into an embrace.

_**Sad voices filtered through the fog in her mind, trying to pull her back to consciousness. 'Why am I still here?' she complained bitterly. She couldn't see anything; only hear the voices around her. She had to figure out how to get back. How much longer could she stay in limbo? Stuck in a place where she didn't belong? She was restless as she knew she couldn't stay in between for much longer, eventually she would either return to where she had been or move on to somewhere she was too young to go.**_

The silver ranger paced around the room. Glancing at the somber faces around him, he shouted, "It looks like you guys have already given up on her." "Have patience and some faith." He comforted them less annoyed. No one noticed the sudden jumping of the monitors that were attached to Ashley.

"I already went through this with Karone and then you Zhane. I didn't think I'd survive it, but now I have you both." Andros whispered. "If I lose Ashley, I don't think I could make it." Tears streamed down his face. His confession brought the others to tears as well.

**_She felt the tears wet her face at his words. 'I need to be there.' She decided as the fog started to clear, revealing the faces of her friends cramped in the small room. 'They're waiting for me.' She realized suddenly. Using all of her strength she tried to push her way back._ _'I'm coming.' She whispered, desperate to return to them._**

"**_You won't lose me." She whispered so softly it could have been a ghost._**

"Ashley?" Cassie said hopefully, rising from the couch only to be stopped by TJ. No one wanted to tell her that it couldn't have been. They wanted it just as much as the pink ranger. Andros could have sworn he had heard Ashley a few times himself in the last few days but ignored it because of his over exhaustion.

"Cass, she isn't awake." TJ kindly reminded her, wrapping his arms around her to offer comfort. "She can't hear us, and we can't hear her."

"Not true." Karone's voice broke the somberness of the group. "Victims in comas respond positively to the voices of loved ones." She informed them as she moved away from them to stand by Ashley.

She was quiet for a few moments. "Her cheeks are wet." She observed slowly, moving to tenderly wipe the tears off. "She knows we're sad, and she's sad too." She continued on slowly. "She wants to come back to us, I can sense that she's real close." She remarked hopefully keeping Ashley's cool hand in hers and looking back to give confidence to the others.

"How can you be so sure?" Andros worried fearfully torn between believing his sister and fear that his heart would break if Ashley didn't come back.

"**_Trust me." A quiet voice persuaded._**

Andros stumbled as the voice he knew as well as his own broke into his presence. Zhane looked at his best friend in concern, but Karone kept the silver ranger from going to him.

"I do." He whispered back, hope refilling his soul as he hurried to her side. "Ash." He spoke affectionately, brushing the hair off her bruised face. "I love you." He declared honestly, raising her hand to his lips, his eyes closing to picture her face when it was awake and unbruised, praying she would return to him soon.

Was it just his imagination or did he feel a slight squeeze? He glanced down just in time to see her eyes flutter open. A sigh of relief escaped him as he gazed down into her brown eyes.

"I love you too." She whispered hoarsely, gripping his hand tighter as if to never let him go, as the monitors around her beeped her return.

"Ashley." Cassie shouted gladly tearing herself away from TJ. "You're back." She said relieved joining Andros at her bedside while the others gathered close.

"I was never gone Cass." She reminded her. Reminded all of them. "And I'm never going to leave either." She stubbornly declared, her fiery spirit returning quickly. Only the pale skin covered with bruises and the fatigue gave evidence to the ordeal she had just awoken from.

"Thank God." Andros murmured as he lost himself in just holding her. "I'm never going to let you go." He vowed only for Ashley to hear. She smiled shakily as tears filled her eyes and she struggled to sit up.

"Take it easy." Andros rebuked her gently. "You need to rest." He stated firmly. The other rangers wished Ashley well and quickly left the pair alone as he carefully placed her back in the bed.

"So you love me?" She teased him lightly, not wanting to scare him off. but desperate enough that she needed to know if he was telling the truth.

"I do." He replied sincerely. "So much it hurts sometimes." He confessed softly. "I'm sorry I was afraid to tell you until there was a chance you might never hear me tell you." She grabbed his hand to comfort him and to encourage him to go on. "I was so afraid of being hurt…" he continued.

"Andros, I'd never hurt you." Ashley promised, even as she interrupted. "I know." He agreed. "Now." He amended quickly. "But I realized that it hurts much worse to pretend that I don't love you, and even more that I could have lost you."

"So this is for real?" she questioned hopefully, clinging to that happy thought as sleep threatened to overcome her.

"Yes, Ashley. I love you. And I will spend every day of the rest of my live proving that to you." He guaranteed.

"Good." She mumbled sleepily, as her eyes closed. Even as her body relaxed, her grip on his hand didn't. Finally Andros relaxed as well, knowing she was going to be fine. And he would do whatever it took to keep her that way.

A/N: Thanks for your patience with this story. Should I continue? Or is this a good ending? Please review. Thanks!


End file.
